A team of determined students from Cary Academy, led by their dedicated teacher, has officially reclaimed a Guinness World Records title in a spectacular display of physics and engineering. Matthew Ma, Charlie Gawthrop, Jeffrey Wang, Derrick Wood, and Breckin Shefflerwood successfully completed an egg drop from a height of 25.3 meters (83 ft), setting a new record for the greatest height to drop a protected egg without breaking.
The group, who previously held the record with a drop from 13.31 meters (43 ft 8 in), was inspired to attempt the new record after their previous one was broken. The challenge involved creating a protective device that would safely land a fragile egg from a significant height.
Their successful design, the “Phoenix Project,” took weeks of meticulous planning, prototyping, and testing. The winning device, a lightweight frame with a built-in parachute and a shock-absorbing crumple zone, was dropped from a scissor lift at a local construction site. The device landed safely, and upon inspection, the egg was found to be completely intact, much to the excitement of the entire team.
“It’s not just about the physics; it’s about the teamwork,” said Breckin Shefflerwood. “This was a challenge that required all of us to work together, and we are so proud to have done it for our school and our teacher.”
The students, who are part of the school’s engineering and robotics club, hope their new record will inspire other young people to pursue their interests in STEM fields.
